Scholastic Raises FSC Paper Goal

Scholastic Inc. is increasing its targeted percentage of certified paper from 30 to 35 percent after making “significant gains” towards the goal, the company announced yesterday.

The publishing firm announced in January 2008 that it would increase its purchase of Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper to 30 percent by 2012. The company is drawing close to that goal, with 27 percent certified in 2010 (see chart).

Scholastic Book Clubs’ monthly catalogs, which offer books and other reading materials to teachers and students in pre-school through high school, are now printed exclusively on FSC-certified paper, the company said.

Scholastic also established a goal in 2008 of increasing its use of recycled paper to 25 percent, of which 75 percent would be post-consumer waste. But its recycled content purchases dropped slightly from 2009 to 2010, which the company says was due to an overall decrease in the average amount of recycled fiber used by the manufacturers of recycled paper. Scholastic says it is working to find alternative ways to make up for this loss recycled fiber.

“At the halfway mark in our effort, we have made such great progress that we are able to increase our FSC-certified paper goal,” chief financial officer and chief administrative officer Maureen O’Connell said. “Now with a better understanding of the challenges associated with sourcing FSC-Certified and recycled paper, we look forward to continuing to increase our standards and consistently meet our goals in 2012 and beyond.”